“I know,” she said softly, her words barely above a whisper. She could feel his warmth seeping into her very bones, and for a moment, the outside world—the impending birth, the worry for her friend—seemed to fade into the background. All that mattered was here, in this room, with him.
Kingston brushed a gentle kiss against her hair and sighed. “I never imagined I would be here with you. And now, with friends who share the same love we do...” His words trailed off as he tightened his hold around her, as if unwilling to let go.
Jaclyn looked up at him, her heart swelling. "I couldn’t imagine my life without you. You make everything better." She let out a small laugh, her fingers tracing the lapels of his jacket. “Sometimes, I wonder how it is that I deserve all this.”
“You deserve everything, Jaclyn.” Kingston lifted her chin gently, his eyes soft and warm. "Do you know how much I love you?"
She smiled, her fingers curling into his shirt as she leaned in to kiss him. The familiar taste of his lips, so tender and warm, made her heart skip a beat. She felt safe, cherished, and cared for in ways she never thought possible before he had come into her life. She had often wondered how such a powerful and commanding man could love her, but with every moment they spent together, he proved it to her over and over again.
He pulled back slightly, his expression suddenly more serious. “You are everything to me, Jaclyn. And I want to ensure that no matter what happens with Charlotte, I’m here with you. Always.”
Her heart swelled with emotion. She reached up to brush his hair from his forehead. “And I’m here with you. Always.”
Just as the words left her lips, a knock at the door broke the tender moment. Jaclyn glanced toward it, her heart fluttering with a new wave of concern. She didn’t have to ask who it was; she knew it was the servant coming to inform them of Charlotte’s condition.
Kingston gave her a knowing look, his hand slipping into hers. “Shall we?”
She nodded, her heart pounding, both for Charlotte and for the world they had built together. As the door opened and a young maid entered with an urgent look in her eyes, Jaclyn gave Kingston’s hand a final squeeze before they both turned toward the unknown.
Many hours later the Marquess and Marchioness of Easton welcomed their first child into the world. A son that screamed his displeasure to the world and one that was loved beyond belief. Jaclyn fell in love with him immediately. How could she not. He was part of her new family and she loved them all, and that now included the new Earl of Easterly, Garrett Jamison Hayes.
